It was only a few weeks after his 35th birthday that the Association announced that its latest signing was our imposing former central defender Réda Johnson. This was in time for him to join nearly forty other FPs at last season’s Legends Day 2023 reunion (in his first return) at the CBS Arena for the Sky Blues clash with Stoke City (left). Now we have another celebration as, a year later, Réda (born in Marseilles on 21/03/1988) hits 36!! ‘Many Happy Returns’ Big Man!
To remind you of Réda’s career to date the French footballer started out learning his trade in 2005 in the reserves of Ligue 2 side FC Gueugnonnais based in Bergundy. He got his first taste of first team football after transferring after a couple of seasons to another French Ligue 2 outfit SC Amiens debuting on 24th August 2007. After another two seasons at Amiens and twenty first team outings Réda tried his luck in UK football!
After a trial with Aberdeen in July 2009 did not result in a signing the 6’3″ Frenchman also played in a pre-season game at the other end of Britain at Plymouth Argyle and a three year contract soon materialised. After a couple of seasons, 44 games and a couple of goals for the south coast club Réda was snapped up by Sheffield United in January 2011 scoring on his league debut eventually netting nineteen goals in his 87 games for the Blades! In 2014 before his CCFC spell, Réda was awarded the PFA ‘Player in the Community’ award.
Réda repeated the debut trick after signing for the Sky Blues in July 2014, initially on a one-year contract. Commendably he netted twice on his Sky Blue debut at Bradford City on 9th August 2014 (though his new club did go down to a 3-2 defeat). He therefore entered the club’s record books as our first defender to score two goals on his debut! He was a regular in the Sky Blues side on season 2014-15 ending up with eight goals in his 34 first team appearances! Deemed surplus to requirements at the Ricoh, Reda again moved on a free this time to non-league Eastleigh FC in July 2016.
Réda spent five seasons with the southern club clocking up 85 appearances and netting nine goals for the National League side. Leaving Eastleigh FC in February 2020, Réda joined Dover Athletic as player-coach in June 2021 but was released at the end of the 2021-22 season following their relegation to the National League South for this current season.
Réda could have played for four different countries, with his mother being of Algerian descent, his father being an American of Beninese descent and French born himself. However, on 11 February 2009 made his debut for the African nation of Benin in a friendly actually against Algeria and went on to play for this country a total of twelve times between 2009-14.
‘Happy Birthday’ Réda, we trust we will see much more of you at our events now you have become a member!